The Story Of Us
by baby le
Summary: Sydney and Vaughn's 9 year old daughter tells their story. And, learns a truth of her own. pls. R/R!!! `=D ~complete~
1. who wants to tell a story?

Disclaimer:: I DONT OWN ANYONE. [except for Mirabelle and Jay-Jay]  
  
Author's Note:: This takes place like...YEARS after the series. 'Mirabelle' is their daughter [made up by me] and she tells their story to her class. Well, kinda. If you read on, her "storytelling" skills aren't so goOd. Which would be MY fault. But, I hope you enjoy the story. It might seem a little boring in the beginning, but it should get better in the later chapters. Oh yeah, I also avoided mentioning Francie here. PLEASE PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!! I'D APPRECIATE IT!! `=D   
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"Okay class, this week, we're going to try something new and different for our regular Reading period," the teacher began. "How does that sound?"   
  
"Yay!" screamed Ms.DePinto's 4th grade class. "Okay, this is how we're going to do this. First of all, on a piece of paper, write down, in a few words, about a story that you would like to tell the class. Then, I'll come and collect them, and then we can all vote on who's story we'd  
like to hear for the rest of the week. Any questions?" A little girl raised her hand.   
  
"Yes, Mirabelle?"   
  
"Do we have to say who the story is by? Because, I don't know who wrote my story."   
  
"That's okay, Mirabelle. You don't need an author. Okay class, you have 5 minutes to write down what your story's about."   
  
Five minutes later, Ms.DePinto collected everyone's papers. "Okay now, we're going to vote. Who wants to hear about a leprechaun? Raise your hand." A few kids raised their hands. "Who wants to hear about a king and queen?" Ten more kids raised their hands. "Alright. Who wants to hear about...espionage and romance?" The majority of the kids raised their hands.   
  
"Well, okay then." she said amazed at the results of the last one she called out. "Mirabelle, you're up." She said looking over to Mirabelle. The little girl stood up, and walked to the front of the class. She was a cute little thing, with her dark brown hair and green eyes. She was lively, and always enthusiastic during class. Mostly during Reading and Math. Mirabelle leaned on the chalk ledge, and waited for her teacher's okay to begin.   
  
"I hope this isn't boring like your other ones, Mirabelle." said a little boy in the back row.   
  
"Jay-Jay, let's give Mirabelle the attention that she needs. Besides, you also voted for this story. So, it's only fair that you give her your undivided attention."   
  
"Okay, Ms.DePinto." Jay-Jay surrendered.   
  
"That goes for the WHOLE class. Do I make myself clear?"   
  
"YES MS.DEPINTO!" her class answered back.   
  
"Okay, Mirabelle, you can start now."   
  
-----------------------  
  
"My story starts awhile back. How long ago, I don't really know. I've only heard this story once, and it has only been told to me by my granddad and my uncle Will."   
  
"Well, who is this story about, Mirabelle?"   
  
"It's about two people my family knew named Sydney and Vaughn."   
  
"They started out like any other normal couple. As friends. But, they were friends that were thrown into a dangerous situation. You see, Sydney worked for an oragnization called SD-6. At first, she was convinced by a man named Sloane that she was working for the good guys. But, really, she was working for an enemy that she thought she was fighting."   
  
"So, when she found out who she was really working for, she joined up with the REAL good guys. See, Sloane lied and told Sydney that SD-6 was part of the CIA. But, in reality, it was really part of the Alliance. Which is an enemy OF the United States, AND the CIA. She learned the truth about SD-6 when she told her then fiancee, and Sloane had him killed. "   
  
"In other words, she became a double agent?" asked Jay-Jay.   
  
"Uh, huh. That's right." Mirabelle replied. "That was when she met her future husband. Michael Vaughn. Whom, she usually called 'Vaughn'. Vaughn became her case handler. Which meant that he would give her countermissions that would benefit the CIA, and NOT SD-6."   
  
Mirabelle had the class's attention.   
  
"Along the way, Sydney discovered a few more secrets about herself, AND her family."   
  
"Like what?" asked a girl in the front.   
  
"Like, what her father, Jack, really did for a living. Which was that he too was a double agent for the CIA and SD-6. And, also a very startling revelation about her mother, and Vaughn's father. Anyone care to guess?"   
  
"They once dated?" Ms.DePinto jumped in.   
  
"Nope. Turns out that Sydney's mother was a former KGB agent who married Sydney's dad in order to get information from the CIA to give to the KGB. But, the most 'shocking' part is that Sydney's mom, Irina, killed Vaughn's dad nearly 20 years before their children met. "   
  
The class started "oh"ing and "ahh" ing.  
  
"There's more. When Sydney was 6 years old, Irina was supposedly killed in a car crash."   
  
"Why do you say supposedly?" Ms.DePinto wondered.   
  
"Oh, you'll find out soon." Mirabelle replied with a mischievious grin to her teacher. Ms.DePinto was used to that grin. She had seen it over a dozen times whenever Jay-Jay would try and blame her for something that Mirabelle would swear wasn't her fault.   
  
"After her first year at the CIA, Sydney and Vaughn had gone through so many things that couples who have been married for 20 years have YET to go through."   
  
"What kind of things did they go through?" asked Jay-Jay.   
  
"Well, one, Sydney nearly being found out by Sloane that she was a double agent. Vaughn nearly drowining during a mission in Taipei, Vaughn nearly getting killed in France, Sydney finding out that her dad had tested her to become a spy, and of course, the biggest of them all, Sydney finding her mother in Taipei."   
  
"Whoa!" some of the kids screamed. Then, the bell rang, and Reading period was over. The kids began to get up, and grab their belongings, and headed out to their next class.   
  
"Alright, don't forget, Mirabelle will finish telling us her story tomorrow!! Okay?!" she shouted as the last of the kids piled out into the hallway. Mirabelle was the only one left in the room. She was still getting her stuff together.   
  
"Mirabelle, that was a great beginning to that story."   
  
"I'm glad you liked it, Ms.DePinto." she replied.   
  
"I can't wait to hear the rest of it."   
  
"It's a very long story, so I might have to shorten it a little."   
  
"That's fine. You can tell it any way you want."  
  
"Thanks, Ms.DePinto," she smiled and left.   
  
-------------------  
  
At the end of the day, Mirabelle's grandfather, Jack, picked her up from school.   
  
"How was school today, sweetie?" he asked when she approached him.   
  
"Good. In Math, I got a 95. And, in Reading, I got to tell a story."   
  
"Really, what story is that?"   
  
"What else?! The story you and uncle Will told me last year."   
  
The smile on his face almost came off. "Why that story?" he asked.   
  
"It's my favorite one." she said as they began walking to his house. "Hey, granddad," she began.   
  
"Yes, Mirabelle?"   
  
"Is it okay if Jay-Jay comes over later? He wants me to help him in Math. He's really bad at it."   
  
Jack muffled a little laugh, and said yes. He was sometimes amazed at the little girl. She resembled every fiber of BOTH her parents.   
  
Later that afternoon, her friend Jay-Jay came over. When Jack answered the door, it was obvious to him that the little boy felt intimidated by him, so he warmed up to the boy.   
  
"Hi, sir." Jay-Jay began nervously.   
  
He chuckled. "No need to call me sir."   
  
"Come on in, Mirabelle's in the kitchen." Jay-Jay stepped inside, and Jack directed him into the kitchen.   
  
"Now, is there anything you want me to get you for your study session?" he asked.   
  
Mirabelle smiled at him and said, "No thanks, granddad. We'll be fine." The way she said that reminded him of Sydney, when she was that age.   
  
He left them alone in the kitchen, and went back into the study. He had a few bills left to pay. His time spent as a double agent had really paid off. He was lucky enough to have saved some money to help with Mirabelle's college education. While he was paying the bills, he could hear Mirabelle and Jay-Jay laugh now and again. About what, he didn't know. Maybe it was a joke, or maybe Jay-Jay had make a silly mistake in a math problem. Whatever it was, it seemed funny to them.   
  
"Sydney, if only you could see your daughter now. She's just like you." he said to the picture of Sydney on his desk. He remembered that picture. It was the picture of Sydney when she graduated from high school. She was named the salutarian. But, in Jack's eyes, she should've been named the valedictorian.   
  
About an hour later, Mirabelle knocked on the door of his study. "Granddad?" she called.   
  
"Yes, dear?" he opened the door.   
  
"Can I walk Jay-Jay home? We're done with Math for the night."   
  
"Where does he live?"   
  
"Just down the block. I won't be long, okay, granddad?"   
  
"Alright, sweetheart. But, make sure that when Jay-Jay goes inside his home, you come back here. Okay?"   
  
"Yes, granddad."   
  
"Okay, then."   
  
"Jay-Jay, c`mon. My granddad said I could walk you home."   
  
"Cool. Thanks Mr.Bristow!" the little boy called out, as Mirabelle grabbed his arm, and they ran towards the door.   
  
He looked out the window, as Mirabelle and Jay-Jay ran down the block. There was a hidden CIA camera inside the tree, so Jack really didn't have to worry about anything happening to Mirabelle. 


	2. the best things about mom dad

Meanwhile, outside, Jay-Jay and Mirabelle stopped running, and continued on walking.   
  
"Hey, Mirabelle, where'd you get all that stuff for that story that you told in Reading, today?"   
  
"I told you, AND everybody else in the class. It's a REAL and true story about two people my family knew named Sydney and Vaughn."   
  
Finally, they reached Jay-Jay's house. As soon as Jay-Jay went in, Mirabelle ran back to the house. Half-way there, it started to get dark, Mirabelle looked up into the sky. The stars were coming out quickly tonight. As the sun set on her block, she looked straight into the sun and thought of her parents. "I miss you." she thought to herself. Once she got back home, she finished the rest of her homework, ate dinner, and watched a little tv before her bedtime.   
  
"Okay, Mirabelle, c`mon, time to sleep." Jack said as he walked into her room, turning off her television.   
  
"Aww, do I have to?" she whined.   
  
"Yes, you do, young lady. Even the best storyteller's had to sleep early so that way, they can be alert when they are in front of their class,   
telling their stories."   
  
Mirabelle did as she was told, and hopped into bed, and Jack tucked her in.   
  
"Granddad," she began.   
  
"Yes, Mirabelle?"   
  
"What was the best thing about mom and dad?" What could he say? That her parents' best quality was saving the world and getting rid of the bad guys? No, he couldn't say that. He wanted to give his granddaughter a realistic image of her parents. Not something out of a comic book.   
  
He cleared his throat. "Well, your mother's best quality was that she always thought of others before herself."   
  
"Really?" Mirabelle smiled. That smile almost made Jack tear up. It was the same smile Sydney had. "And dad?" her green eyes shimmered in wonder. "Vaughn," he thought.  
  
"Well, your father's best quality was that he always thought ahead before doing anything. Unlike your mother, who would sometimes dive into things head first."   
  
"I wanna be like mom and dad when I grow up."   
  
"Why is that, Mirabelle?" he tried not to sound too nervous. Having another family member in the spy business was the LAST thing he wanted. But, Mirabelle was only 9 years old. She had the rest of her life to figure out what she wanted to be. He just REALLY hoped that becoming a spy wasn't it.   
  
"It sounds exciting. Going from country to country, city to city. Becoming another person for a brief moment."   
  
"Yes, but what about all that fighting, and not getting caught by the enemy?"   
  
"Well, I'll be trained by then, right?" she grinned.   
  
"Haha. Yes, you will. Now, c`mon, go to sleep. You have the rest of that story to tell tomorrow. And don't forget, your uncle Will is going to pick you up from school, and you're going to be with him for the rest of the day. Okay?"   
  
"Alright, granddad. Good night."   
  
"Goodnight, Mirabelle." he turned off her bedroom light.   
  
-------------------------------  
  
"Okay, everyone, take your seats," said Ms.DePinto the next day.   
  
"Now, as you all remember, Mirabelle was telling us her story yesterday, well, she's going to tell us the rest of it today." Mirabelle walked up again to the front of the class. And, Ms.DePinto sat down at her desk.   
  
"Do you remember where you left off, Mirabelle?"   
  
"Yeah, I do. Sydney had just found her mother alive, in Taipei."   
  
"So, what happened after that?" Jay-Jay asked.   
  
"Well, it felt like a 'normal' family reunion. You know, family memebers seeing each other after so many years, and then shooting and trying to kill one another. That kind of thing." Her class looked a little confused.   
  
"What do you mean?" asked another boy.   
  
Mirabelle thought for a moment. "Okay, you see, Sydney hadn't seen her mom since the day she 'died', when Syd was only 6 years old. And, earlier that year Sydney, adult Sydney, had learned the truth about her mom. You know, about the fact that she killed Vaughn's dad, and faked her death, and was a KGB agent. But, Irina wasn't going to let Sydney out of her life again so easily."   
  
"What did she do?" asked Jessy, a girl whom Mirabelle didn't like much. But, for some reason, she wasn't being mean today. Probably because Mirabelle's story had the whole class' interest.   
  
"Irina shot Sydney in the shoulder, and then not too long after that, turned herself into the CIA."   
  
"Why?" Jay-Jay asked.   
  
"Her intention wasn't known then, and I don't think it still is. Even after 3 years of being held in federal custody."   
  
"You mean, she's out now?" Ms.DePinto asked.   
  
"Yup, but don't worry. She's still being watched. In what way, I can't say."   
  
"But, anyways, back to my story. After a few months of Irina being in custody, things weren't so good."   
  
"Like what?"   
  
"Well, for starters, it took Irina a LONG time to gain ANYONE's trust. Especially Jack and Sydney's. Jack's reasons for not trusting his [ex] wife were pretty obvious. Sydney WANTED to trust her mother, since she barely had anytime to get to know her, before she 'died'. But I think Sydney also wanted to obey her father's wishes, since he did know what her mother was REALLY like."   
  
"Unknown to Sydney, her dad had a DEEP DARK secret. A secret that he and Irina shared. And, since Jack made it known to Irina that it was useless to try and have a relationship with their daughter, Irina reminded him that she knew what he did to her after she 'died'."   
  
Some of the kids gasped. "What was it?!" asked Jay-Jay in suspense. (after only a millisecond)  
  
"Irina was sent to the U.S., for two reasons that are very much connected. The first, to get information on something called "Project Xmas"."   
  
"What was it?" piped another girl.   
  
"Project Xmas was a program that Jack was developing for the CIA that tested kids to see if they had ANY potential of becoming CIA agents when they grew up. Irina's mission was to marry a CIA officer who HAD the COMPLETE intel on the program."   
  
"And, that was Jack," Ms.DePinto replied.   
  
"Yes, it was."   
  
"Now, with Irina back in Jack's life, there was the constant threat that she may tell Sydney his 'secret'. Which was that Jack 'tested' Project Xmas on Sydney when she was 6 or 7."  
  
"Problem was, Sydney has NO RECOLLECTION of ever being tested because that was how the program worked. The kids are tested, then have no memory of ever going through any kind of testing."   
  
"How did Sydney find out?" asked Jay-Jay.   
  
"Well, on a mission, Sydney stumbled upon a puzzle, and when she looked at it, she pieced it all together. It was as if, she didn't even have to THINK about it. So, she went under something called 'psychoanalysis'. And, she relived herself as a child, and she saw that her dad had tested her to be a spy."   
  
"How did she take it?" Jessy wondered.   
  
"I can tell you, not good. Sydney confronted her dad about this. And, ran to Vaughn for comfort. All he could for her was to hold her, and say nothing. Because, these two know that words sometimes mean nothing to them."   
  
"What happened, then?!" yelled Jay-Jay. Then, the bell rang.   
  
"Oops, well, Jay-Jay, we'll have to find out the rest tomorrow." Ms.DePinto said, standing up from her desk. The kids rushed out of the room and headed into the hallway. Again, Mirabelle was the last one in the room.   
  
"Mirabelle, I'm enjoying your story very much. How much more do you have left to tell?"   
  
"Umm, a little bit more. I may have to skip some of the GORY details of some of the missions that Sydney and Vaughn did before they were even married."   
  
"Wow, it sounds like these two people lived an extraordinary life."   
  
"Yes, they did, Ms.DePinto. But, it wasn't a life they wanted to live. If you could ask them, I bet you they would want to live like you and me." 


	3. a visit to Uncle Will's

At the end of the day, Mirabelle's Uncle Will came by to pick her up.   
  
"Hey, uncle Will!!" she greeted.   
  
"Hey, Mirabelle. How was school?"   
  
"Great, everyone LOVES the story I'm telling in Reading."   
  
"Really? And, which story is that?!"   
  
"The one you and granddad told me last year." Concern washed over him. He didn't think that Mirabelle would remember that story so perfectly to tell it to her class.   
  
"What part are you up to now?"   
  
"Umm...the part where Sydney finds out that her dad did 'spy experiments' on her when she was a kid."   
  
"Ahh. And, your class enjoyed this?"   
  
"Yeah. Totally. My friend Jay-Jay thought I was making it all up, but, I told him that I wasn't."   
  
"Hm, sometimes it IS hard to believe all that was true." he said softly.   
  
Will drove Mirabelle back to his house. It was the same house that Sydney had lived in when she was in SD-6 and the CIA. When she and Vaughn got serious, and moved in with each other, she left some of her things behind. Just in case she ever needed a place to stay. Will now lived there with his sister, who stayed in the other room. Mirabelle LOVED going to this house because it had so many things that belonged to her mom. Like some of her old clothes, magazines she used to read, some old makeup, and of course, pictures from her days hanging out with her Uncle Will and Francie. Once they got in the house, Mirabelle rushed to Sydney's room. Mirabelle loved going through her mom's old things. It made her feel like her mom was in the room with her.   
  
"Hey, is that Mirabelle I saw running into Syd's room?" asked Amy, Will's sister.   
  
"Yup, who else would run in there? Jack asked me to watch her for the rest of the day. He said he had something to take care of. He'll be back later tonight to pick her up."   
  
"God, she goes in there everytime she's here."   
  
"Well, it's understandable. Since, you know, Sydney could barely spend enough time with her when she was younger. I mean, with going all over the world and retrieving things for the CIA."   
  
"True. But, hey, it's the CIA's fault that Mirabelle barely had a clue about her own parents."   
  
"Amy," he started.   
  
"What?! This is MY view. Can't change that."   
  
"I know, but watch it. Mirabelle has this picture of her parents as 'superheroes'. Let's not blow that image." Will whispered.   
  
Amy sighed, "Will, you know that she's going to find out what happened sooner or later."   
  
"Well, I hope it's later rather than sooner."   
  
"I don't."   
  
"Amy, why are you trying to disillusion a 9 year old girl?"   
  
"I'm not. Look, she's getting older, she's going to find out. Why not just tell her the truth?"   
  
"Listen, if it were up to me, I would've told her the day it happened. But, I'm not the one with custody, here. It's Jack. HE has to tell her. Not me."   
  
"Whatever you say, big brother," Amy teased, and went back to her room.   
-----------------   
Later that evening, Will spotted Mirabelle doing her homework on the living room couch. "Hey, Mirabelle," he said sitting down next to her.   
  
"Hey, Uncle Will," she replied barely looking up from her notebook.   
  
"What are you doing?"   
  
"My science homework."   
  
"Really?"   
  
"Yeah, it's kinda boring, though."   
  
Will chuckled. "Why?"   
  
"Because I don't care about photosynopsis or diffusion."   
  
"Okay first, it's 'photosynthesis', not 'photosynopsis'."   
  
"Whatever," she rolled her eyes. "I still don't care."   
  
"Well, what's something you DO care about?"   
  
"Hmm," she put her pencil eraser to her chin. "English and Reading."   
  
When she said English, he immediately recognized where it came from. Obviously, from Sydney. She was an English major. It looked as if Mirabelle was going to follow her mom's footsteps.   
  
"Tell me a story, Uncle Will." Mirabelle interrupted his thoughts.   
  
"Huh?" he said, snapping back.   
  
"I wanna hear a story while I do my science homework. If that's okay."   
  
"That's okay. What story do you wanna hear?"   
  
"I don't know. Anything."   
  
He thought for a minute. "Okay."   
  
"Anything that'll keep me interested in my science homework." she smiled.   
  
He thought one more time before answering her again. "Okay, I got it."   
  
"What story is this?" she asked.   
  
"Well, this is a TRUE story. And, I think you'll be able to use this when you continue telling your class the story of Sydney and Vaughn."   
  
"Why?" she wondered.   
  
"It's the story of the day you were born."   
  
Her face lit up. This was probably the ONLY story she hadn't heard about her parents. She began to put her science books aside.   
  
"Hey, I thought you wanted to hear something that would keep you interested in your science homework."   
  
"Well, this is has ME in it. And, anything with ME in it, must be given my FULL attention."   
  
"Alright, fine. But, you gotta at least answer those last 2 questions while I'm telling it to you. Deal?"   
  
"Yeah, yeah. Just tell the story." she teased him.   
  
Will cleared his throat. "Well, ironically, this story starts with your mom laying down on this couch..."   
  
[ *flashback* ]  
  
"I'm 2 weeks overdue. When will this end?" Sydney asked her friend, Will. Sydney was laying down on the couch. She was 2 weeks overdue, she could barely move, and what made it worse was that her husband, Vaughn, was out of town on a mission. Will was keeping her company, just in case she needed anything.   
  
"Relax, I'm sure that the baby deicded that it wasn't time for him or her to come out 2 weeks ago."   
  
"Well, I hope he or she decides to come out soon. I haven't moved from this couch since Monday."   
  
"Actually, it was Sunday night." he corrected. Sydney shot him an irritated look. "Sorry."   
  
"It's alright. I've been a big pain these last few days."   
  
"Don't worry about it, Syd. I can always get you back later."   
  
"That's VERY comforting."   
  
"No problem. Hey, do you want anything, since I'm getting up."   
  
"Uh, yeah. Could you get me those cookies in the pantry, jell-o, and a coke? That'd be great, thanks."   
  
Will got up, and went into the kitchen. He grabbed everything Sydney asked for.   
  
"WILL!!!" he heard her yell. He dropped everything, and ran back to the couch.   
  
"What is it?!" he asked in a panicked state. Sydney looked as if she were in pain, and she was.   
  
"Will....I-," she started.   
  
"What?!"   
  
"I think my water -broke." Sydney stuttered. Will's mind suddenly went blank.   
  
"Will?" Sydney began.   
  
"WILL!!!!!" she screamed, snapping him back to his senses.   
  
"Uh, yeah!! Right!!" he yelled. For an analyst in the CIA, he wasn't analyzing much of THIS situation. Will tried to remember what he was supposed to do first, in case THIS happened while Vaughn was away.   
  
"What do I do first?!" he asked himself, panicking, and beginning to run back and forth.   
  
"You, help me get up," Sydney replied calmly.   
  
"Oh yeah!!" Will helped Sydney to her feet, and Sydney went to the phone to call the hospital. Will went into Sydney's room to get her suitcase, after tripping on them, first. Will then helped Sydney into his car, and they drove off. Sydney was surprised that Will could even see straight. Will dialed Jack's cellphone number to tell him about Sydney.   
  
"What?!" Will yelled into the phone. He must've been going at 100 miles per second. Sydney, on the other hand, was doing her best to stay calm, throughout all of this.   
  
"Will, let me talk to my father," Sydney said taking the phone away from Will so he could concentrate on driving.   
  
"Are you alright, Sydney?" Jack asked as his voice almost broke. She wasn't sure if it was the phone, or he was REALLY breaking up.   
  
"Yes, dad. I'm fine. Will's doing everything he can to get me to the hospital on time."   
  
"I'll call Vaughn and tell him what's happening."   
  
"Dad, no! What if he gets distracted during his op, and he's made?"   
  
"Sydney, don't worry. Vaughn finished his mission early. If our tracker is right, he's leaving from the LA airport in 15 minutes."   
  
"Th-that's gr-great, d-dad." She was in pain again.   
  
"Honey, what's wrong?!"   
  
"D-dad, I-I thi-think I-I h-have t-to c-call yo-you b-back." Sydney hung up, and gripped on the seat.   
  
"Syd? What's wrong?" Will asked.   
  
"My contractions."   
  
"We're almost there. Hang on, Syd!" Sydney yelled in pain, and 2 seconds later, they were at the hospital. It was nearly impossible now, Sydney couldn't walk anymore. Will tried his best to carry her without dropping her, and causing any damage to the baby. 'Cause, God, if he did...Vaughn [AND Sydney] would probably kick his ass. Will talked to the nurse at the front desk, and a wheelchair arrived, and Sydney got in.   
  
"I'll call Vaughn!!" Will yelled, as she was wheeled into the maternity ward. A little while later, Will visited Sydney in her room. She looked calmer than she did before.   
  
"Is Vaughn here yet?" Sydney asked when Will walked in. Will was about to answer when...  
  
"Yes, he is." said a voice by the doorway. Sydney's face brightened.  
  
"Um, I'm gonna go out, and have some air." Will replied and left the room.   
  
"Hey," Vaughn said walking towards Sydney.  
  
"Hey, yourself. How was your...trip?" Sydney knew that it was a CIA hospital, but decided to keep it discrete, anyways.   
  
"It was...Exhausting. I missed you," he said kissing her on the lips.   
  
"Ahh..." she gasped in pain.   
  
"What is it?"   
  
"Contraction." He held her hand, and it was over.   
  
"Hi, Sydney," said Dr.Levitz.   
  
"Hi, doctor." she greeted.   
  
"Hm, well, everything here seems to be fine," Dr.Levitz said looking everything through.   
  
"Your not fully dialated yet. So, looks like you've got quite a wait ahead of you."   
  
"How long," Vaughn asked.   
  
"Maybe one or two more hours. But, don't worry, Sydney's fine."   
  
"Thanks doctor," she replied.   
  
"No problem. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another patient to attend to." Dr.Levitz replied, and left the room.   
  
"So, how fast did Will get you here?" he asked with a big smile across his face. Sydney had never seen him smile so much before. The memory of Will driving 100 miles per second, made her laugh.   
  
"He's lucky that the police didn't stop him. I think he broke the speed limit in every state." The two broke out laughing. Twenty minutes later, Jack arrived.   
  
"Sydney, are you okay?" he asked in a cool, but almost panicked tone.   
  
"Yes dad, I'm fine."   
  
"Are you sure?"   
  
"Yes dad, I'm sure. It's been almost an hour already. It could be soon." Vaughn was trying very hard to keep his laughter contained. He had never seen Jack Bristow become so unglued before. He was used to seeing the emotionless, cold, stoic Jack. Then, Vaughn realized that this could one day be him also, when HIS grandchild is born. Jack fussed a little bit more on Sydney, before Sydney had to really reassure him that she was fine, and so was the baby. Will had to come in, and take Jack to the cafeteria for some coffee. Since, it was obvious how much he needed it.   
  
"I don't think I've ever seen my father act like that." Sydney replied.   
  
"Neither have I." The expression on Sydney's face changed. She was suddenly in pain, again. Except, this time, it wasn't a contraction. The baby was coming. NOW.   
  
"Vaughn, get Dr.Levitz," Sydney began slowly. Vaughn sprang from his seat and scrambled to get Dr.Levitz. Just his luck, she was nearby. They soon rushed Sydney to the delivery room, and Vaughn went in to coach her through the delivery. Will, Jack, and eventually Weiss, were waiting outside in the waiting room. After 10 minutes, Vaughn came out, beaming.   
  
"How is she?!" were the first words out of Jack's mouth.   
  
"She's fine, Jack." he laughed.   
  
"Well, what is it?!" Weiss asked in suspense.   
  
"It's a girl." The 3 men began congratulating him, and hugging each other. Of course, it was one of those "manly" hugs.   
  
"What are you going to name her?" Will asked.   
  
"I don't know yet," Vaughn was still smiling. It seemed as though NOTHING could wipe that smile off his face. An hour later, Sydney was back in her room, holding the still unnamed baby girl.   
  
"Hey mom," he whispered to her.   
  
"Hey dad," she replied back and kissed him gently on the lips.   
  
"You know, we need to name her."   
  
"Yeah, I know. And, I think I found a name already."   
  
"Really, what?"   
  
"Mirabelle."   
  
"Mirabelle?! Why that?"   
  
"Well, for one, she looks like the both of us. I mean, look at those green eyes. Obviously from you," she joked. "And, that nose, looks like mine, when I was a kid. It's almost like she's a mirrored image of us." Vaughn laughed. "And, when she coo's, it sounds like a "bell".   
  
"Okay, then. Mirabelle Bristow Vaughn, it is."   
  
"Yup, that's her name. Mirabelle."   
  
[*end flashback*]   
  
"And, that's what happened on the day you were born. April 7. " Will finished.   
  
"Whoa! I didn't KNOW that."   
  
"Well, now you do."   
  
"So, that's how I got my name? Because I looked like my parents, and I sounded like a bell?"   
  
Will chuckled. "Yeah. But, it's your laughter that sounds like a bell."   
  
"Cool." Will checked his watch. It was 10:15pm already.   
  
"Whoops, c`mon kiddo. I think you gotta get to sleep. It looks like your granddad's going to be late. Did you finish those science questions?"   
  
"Yeah, I did."   
  
"Let me see." Mirabelle handed him her notebook. Will checked the answers over. Not only were they answered, they were answered correctly.   
  
"Good job. Now, c`mon, into your mom's bed."   
  
"Alright." Mirabelle changed into her spare pair of pajammas that she kept in her mom's old drawers, and crawled into the huge bed. Mirabelle could sometimes smell her mom's shampoo on the pillows. It smelled like coconut and vanilla. After Will tucked her in, it didn't take long for her to fall asleep. Apparently, she had a BIG day. Mirabelle dreamed about her parents quite often. She'd sometimes picture herself going WITH them on their top secret missions, and sometimes even having to save THEM from the bad guys. Mirabelle loved the parts when she could karate-chop the enemy, and break her parents' loose from a cell, or from being tied up. They'd get rid of the bad guy, save the world, and come back home to have her mom's casserole. She always hated having to wake up just when she was getting the chance to take out the bad guy, and show her mom what she had learned from her teaching her some moves of self-defense.   
  
Later that evening, Jack came by to pick up a dead asleep Mirabelle. Mirabelle wouldn't get up, so Jack just carried her back to the car.   
  
"Umm, Jack," Will began softly. "You know what she's doing in school, don't you?"   
  
"You mean her telling the story of her parents? Yes, I do."   
  
"What's going to happen when she nears the end?"   
  
"She will tell what she knows, and nothing else." Jack replied coldly, and got into the car. 


	4. a visit to grandma's

That day played back perfectly in her mind. She was only 6 years old, when her granddad told her that her parents wouldn't be coming home anymore. She remembered being taken to the morgue in one of the CIA buildings with her granddad. Inside, the room was a dark shade of white, and as she came closer to the table where her parents lay, she gripped her granddad's hand even tighter. She remembered her grandmother standing between two men in black uniforms, and her grandmother's black clothing made her stand out. Irina's face was soaked with tears, and on the other side, Mirabelle saw her other grandmother. She wanted more than anything than to look straight ahead, because if she did, then she'd have to face a reality that NO 6 year old should ever face. She looked at her grandparents one more time, all of them trying to wipe their eyes from crying in front of her. Finally, she avoided everyone's gazes and looked ahead. Tears formed in her eyes, and she began crying. Her granddad and grandmothers all surrounded her with hugs. But, it was no use. She broke away from them all, and ran straight towards the table where her parents lay. She grabbed a chair, and stepped up on it, and threw her arms around them. Her tears were uncontrollable now. Everyone tried to pry her away from the table. But, it was no use. She wanted to hold on to them for as long as she could. Because she knew that that would be the last time she'd ever get to hug them again. Since she was so light, Jack and Irina were able to get her down, and Jack carried her out of the room. Albeit, kicking, screaming, and crying. But, she had the right to. Even at the age of 6, Mirabelle knew that that day would be embedded into her mind forever.  
  
"Jack, you know you're going to have to tell her the truth about her parents. Especially if she's going to tell the ending of her story with accuracy," Irina told him softly. Irina watched her granddaughter play with the dog that Sydney had given her when she was released, she smiled at the old saying, "ignorance is bliss". Jack's eyes darted at his ex-wife.   
  
"You know I'm right," she continued. Still no reply from him. Irina Derevko was released three years after she had surrendered to the CIA. But, of course, she was still under 24/7 surveillance. She was in a CIA safehouse, down by the beach. One of her favorite settings. Sitting on the balcony, she wondered if he would have a reply. Or, if he was even listening.   
  
"And tell her that she also lost a sibling?" he asked a little harshly. "She is only 9 years old. How much do you want to put her through in one lifetime?"  
  
"In case you haven't noticed, JACK," Irina shot. "Mirabelle is a 9 year old who matured pretty fast, pretty early."   
  
"Do you even remember the day she went to the morgue?" he asked her. Irina hated that day. She never thought she'd live long enough to bury her own child. Irina's mind flashed back to that day at the morgue. She remembered Mirabelle running over to her parents' bodies covered in a white sheet, and throwing her arms over them and crying incessantly. She also remembered having to be restrained by the U.S. Marshalls, because her emotions ran wild that day, too. After all the murders she had committed, not once did she cry over any of them. But once she saw her dead daughter covered in that sheet, she lost it. But, by the time Jack had arrived with Mirabelle, she calmed down and tried to be strong for her granddaughter.  
  
"Of all people, OF COURSE I REMEMBER THAT DAY. It was the day I realized what this business has done to this family. Don't you see? If you don't tell Mirabelle the truth about her parents, she may live the exact same life her mother lived."   
  
Jack let Irina's words sink into his head. And, yes, he knew she WAS RIGHT about everything.   
  
"How long do you think Mirabelle will go on believing that her parents died in a plane crash? She knows what they did for a living. No one dies that innocently. It wasn't the typical "struck down by the hand of fate", it was MURDER. Arvin Sloane MURDERED Mirabelle's parents, and our daughter and son-in-law." Jack wasn't sure, but he could tell that Irina was choking on built up anger towards Sloane. He kept silent, and let Irina continue.   
  
"And do you know what hurts me even more?" He looked at her, understanding her anger, hurt, and pain that she kept bottled up inside for so long.   
  
"Is that I didn't even get to go to their funeral. I haven't even been to their gravesite, yet." Irina began to look teary-eyed. Jack saw a tear fall, and tried to wipe it away. But, Irina wiped it away before his hand got close enough.   
  
"My last warning to you, tell her. Before the cycle begins again."   
  
"Grandma!!" yelled Mirabelle as she came running back, with the dog behind her. Irina dabbed her eyes on her sleeve, and put a smile on her face.   
  
"Look at what me and DJ found!!" she climbed the stairs to the balcony.   
  
"Oh, what is that?"   
  
"A seashell." Irina examined the seashell.   
  
"Wow, this is pretty. Did you find anymore?"   
  
"Nah, DJ began to get tired. So, we headed back."   
  
"Haha, that's okay. This dog is getting older like me anyways." she joked as she stroked the dogs back.   
  
"I think we should go inside now," Jack said getting up.   
  
"Okay, granddad." Mirabelle replied. Jack opened the door, Mirabelle and DJ ran into the house, and Irina followed. She gave him a quick glance, and went in.   
  
"C`mon, boy!" she dangled a toy ball in front of him.   
  
"Catch!" she threw the ball. The ball went into one of the rooms, and landed in a box and fell over. Mirabelle turned a light on she began to pick up the pieces of paper that were on the floor. Then, something caught her eye. It was a newspaper clipping that read, "Explosion At Powerplant Leaves 3 Dead". She read a few sentences into the article. As she read on, she saw 3 familiar names mentioned in the clipping.  
  
"Sydney Bristow, husband Michael Vaughn and family friend, Arvin Sloane were found dead at the scene. The causes of the explosion have yet to be determined..."   
  
She couldn't believe it. It couldn't be!!   
  
"Mirabelle!!" she heard her granddad yell. She scrambled to her feet, and threw the rest of the papers back into the box, and put the box back onto the shelf. She hid the paper in her pocket, and left the room.   
  
"Yes, granddad?" she asked when she made her way back into the living room.   
  
"C`mon, we have to go now. You've got school tomorrow." he said taking her jacket off the coat rack.   
  
"Alright." she said taking her jacket.   
  
"Bye, DJ. Bye grandma."   
  
"Hmm...bye, Mirabelle. You behave for your granddad, okay?"   
  
"I will!! Bye!!" she went outside, with DJ following her.   
  
"Jack," Irina started.   
  
"Irina," he responded.   
  
"Have a safe trip home."   
  
"Take care of yourself." and with that, he headed outside. 


	5. truth be told

During the ride home, Jack noticed how quiet Mirabelle was.   
  
"So, Mirabelle," he began. "Did you have a nice time at grandma's?"   
  
"Mhmm," she said in a daze while looking out the window.   
  
"Too bad I didn't have a reading period today."   
  
"Oh, why is that?"   
  
"Because then I could've added the story that Uncle Will told me last night."   
  
"Which story is that?"   
  
"The day I was born." Jack let out a silent sigh of relief. At least Will didn't tell her the story about how Sloane tried to KILL Mirabelle before she was born.   
  
"Ahh, yes. I remember that day. You were so small." he smiled at the memory. No other day had made him prouder than that moment. Too bad the years of living a "normal" life for Sydney and Vaughn didn't last long. His effort to talk to Mirabelle was no use, and he gave up. To avoid anymore awkwardness, Mirabelle turned the radio on. The music seemed to soothe her thoughts. They arrived home at 10:30, past Mirabelle's bedtime. As soon as they arrived, Mirabelle went straight to her room, changed,and waited for her grandad to tuck her in. She still couldn't get over the article, even though she hadn't been able to finish reading the rest. Ten minutes later, Jack came in.   
  
"Umm, granddad," she started.   
  
"Yes, Mirabelle?"   
  
"Can you tell me what this is?" she asked giving him the article. He glanced at it, and read the title. He recognized it immediately.   
  
"Where did you get this?"   
  
"I found it at grandma's. When I threw the ball for DJ to catch, it went inside a dark room and knocked over a box full of papers. That was the first thing I saw."   
  
"Did you read all of it?"   
  
"No, because I wanted you to tell me what it was. Why does it have mom and dad's name on it?" Jack sighed. He knew that this day would come, but he didn't think it would come so soon.   
  
"The truth is, your mom and dad didn't die in a plane crash." Her eyes darted towards his.   
  
"How did they die, then?"   
  
"They died on a mission." Mirabelle was trying her hardest not to cry.   
  
"You see, Arvin Sloane, who was an enemy of your parents and I, was threatening them."   
  
"In what way?"   
  
"Well, he tried to kill YOU before you came into this world. Then, he tried to kidnap you when you were a year old."   
  
"So, why was mom and dad at that power plant?"   
  
"Sloane and his associate, Sark, were there. And your parents received a tip that it would be a perfect opportunity to seize the two, and bring them to the CIA."   
  
"What happened?"   
  
"Sloane knew that your parents were the only people who were capable of capturing him. What they didn't know, was that Sloane had planted a bomb nearby. Once your parents walked into the plant..." his voice was beginning to break.   
  
"The bomb went off, and it killed your parents and Sloane."   
  
"Why couldn't they have sent someone else to go after him?"   
  
"It was your mother's idea. You see, the only reason WHY she joined the CIA in the first place was to bring Sloane to justice. She thought that the mission to the plant would finally be the end of him. You have to know, Mirabelle, your parents also went after him because of all the things he's done to them, AND, they wanted you to grow up in a world where you couldn't be harmed."   
  
"Even if it meant growing up without them?"   
  
"Yes. But...if your parents were still around today, you would probably have a little brother/sister." It broke his heart to have to tell her all this. Especially at a time like this. But, he knew Irina was right. Mirabelle HAD to know the truth. If not, she would have been living her entire life believing something that everyone around her knew wasn't true. And, he didn't want to make that mistake again.   
  
Mirabelle's eyes began to tear up, but she was holding them back as best as she could. She couldn't possibly imagine that her parents were killed deliberately. She couldn't think of ONE reason as to why someone would actually do that to them. But, her granddad told her that he was the enemy, and Mirabelle knew that enemies often kill each other with complete disregard for the other's feelings. Mirabelle tried to sleep that night, but she couldn't help but think of her parents. 


	6. the ending of the story

"Alright everyone, take your seats." Ms.DePinto told her class. "Mirabelle, you ready to tell us the ending to your story?"   
  
Mirabelle nodded her head. She had a weird feeling inside her all of a sudden. She felt as if telling the ending of the story would be wrong. But, she knew that the story had to be told. Plus, her mother taught her, "always finish everything you start." She stood up, and walked to the front again.   
  
She took a deep breath, and opened her mouth...  
  
"Okay, this is what happens to Sydney and Vaughn. Eventually, SD-6 gets taken down, and Sydney and Vaughn are free to have the relationship that they've both been wanting for a LONG time. But, they had even more obstacles to overcome. Especially now that they were together."   
  
"Oh?" Ms.DePinto piped.   
  
"Yes, you see, because they worked in the CIA, they weren't allowed to be together. It was even worse when Sydney was at SD-6."  
  
"Sloane was a dominating force between Sydney and Vaughn. But, even though they knew he was a dangerous force, they were still able to have a semi-normal relationship. A year later, they were married. Two years after they married, they had a baby."  
  
"What was it?" Jay-Jay asked.   
  
"It was a girl." Mirabelle replied.   
  
"It was hard for Sydney and Vaughn to play the roles of spies AND parents. ESPECIALLY to a baby girl who could cry for 3 days straight. Because of their new little girl, Sydney and Vaughn had to tone down their acceptance of missions. They would only go on a mission if they were needed. Like, if the CIA were actually desperate. Which happened alot. For a few years, they didn't really seem to be needed much. But, when their daughter was 6 years old, Sydney and Vaughn both accepted a mission that would allow them to capture Sloane, and bring him to the CIA."   
  
"What happened?" Ms.DePinto asked.  
  
"They didn't know that Sloane had planted a bomb at the power plant where they were supposed to catch him. Once Sydney and Vaughn walked in, the bomb went off, and all 3 were killed instantly." The whole class gasped.   
  
"How did their daughter take it?" Jay-Jay spoke up.   
  
"Their daughter, Jack and Irina, ALL didn't take it too well. But, the problem wasn't HOW she took it. She obviously took it VERY hard. Harder than you'd imagine." Mirabelle said, trying to stay standing up.   
  
"Anyways, the problem was how to tell a 6 year old that your parents died while they were on a mission trying to protect the world? So, the solution that Jack Bristow came up with, was...not to tell her at all. Instead, he had convinced his granddaughter that her parents had died in a plane crash. She believed it for 3 years of her life. When she was 8 years old, her granddad finally told her the truth about her parents. BUT, not the WHOLE truth. Just about what they did. It wasn't until she was 9, that she'd learn the FULL truth about her parents' death."   
  
"So, where are all these people now?" Jay-Jay asked.   
  
"They're all still around. Irina's out of ferderal custody, and lives in a house by the beach. But, is still under 24/7 surveillance. Jack and his grandaughter go down there every few weeks. You know, to keep her company."   
  
"And Sydney and Vaughn's daughter?" asked Ms.DePinto   
  
"She's not fully grown yet. But, she already knows what she wants to be."   
  
"And, what's that?"   
  
"She wants to be a CIA agent. Just like her mom and dad. And, that ends my story." The whole class clapped. Mirabelle took a playful bow, and sat back down.   
  
"So, class, how did you like Mirabelle's story?" Ms.DePinto asked.   
  
"I LIKED it!" Jay-Jay yelled. And then, the bell rang.  
--------------------------  
  
"Mirabelle!" Jack yelled.   
  
"Hey, granddad!" she greeted.   
  
"So, how was your story?"   
  
"It went well. Everyone liked it."   
  
"Did you tell them the ending?"   
  
"Yeah, I did. Mommy always told me to tell the truth."   
  
"Nice to see you kept that with you." Mirabelle looked ahead into the car, and saw her grandmother in the front passenger seat.   
  
"What's grandma doing here?" she lowered her voice.   
  
"We're going to show her something. Something she's never seen before. Now, c`mon, let's go."   
  
"Okay," she said and got in the car.   
  
"Hi, Mirabelle," Irina greeted.   
  
"Hi, grandma." For the rest of the trip, Mirabelle told Jack and Irina about her day, and everyones reaction to her story about her parents.  
  
"I still remember the day that I was released. Kendall's face was white." she laughed quietly.   
  
"Why?" Mirabelle asked.   
  
"He couldn't stand the fact that I was getting out, and that I had served my purpose." Jack got a good laugh at that. He stopped the car about 20 minutes later.  
  
"Where are we?"   
  
"Take a look, grandma." Mirabelle replied. Irina looked at her surroundings.   
  
"We're at a cemetary?"   
  
"Follow me." Jack said, leading the way. Jack lead Irina and Mirabelle down a long path. Everywhere she looked, there were gravestones after gravestones. Finally, they reached the end of the path. And, began walking on grass, and passing some more graves. They walked to the other side of the patch, and there, for the first time, Irina saw Sydney and Vaughn's gravesite. She read the inscription::   
  
"Beloved son, daughter, and heroes to the Bristow and Vaughn families. Sydney Bristow and Michael Vaughn. May their love be shared with the world."   
  
Looking at the tombstone brought tears to Irina's eyes. The spot picked was perfect. Underneath a willow tree, and secluded from the others. The tears were coming so fast, that soon, Irina could no longer control them. For the first time, in a long while, Irina let Jack hug her and cry on his shoulder. Mirabelle knelt down on the ground, and talked to her mom and dad.  
  
Irina was able to stop crying, and had a few moments alone. She spoke to Sydney and Vaughn in her own way. She used Russian. Jack knew what she was saying, but Mirabelle didn't. Jack thought that it was best that way. Irina barely had a private moment to herself, so Jack let her have this one. When Irina finished, Jack spent a few minutes and spoke to them as well. In HIS own way. When he finished, they started the long way back to the car.   
  
-----THE END----- 


End file.
